Boat-hull.



U'. WH-COXr BOAT HULL.

APPLICATION ElLED APR.23; 1917'- ma ma U. WILCOX.

BOAT HULL.

M'PUCATION FILED Amzs, 19:7.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

msw'ya unounnnr WILGOX, or BUFFALO, new 'YonK.

BOAT-HULL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1%, 1918.

Application filed April 23, 1917. Serial No. 163,837.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, URQUHART VVtLcoX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boat-Hulls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a boat hull and more particularly to a hull for small or toy boats. The object of this invention is to provide a boat hull of this character in which the more dificult work on the several parts are done by machinery at low cost in a factory and the several elements of the same are put on the market in a dismembered condition leaving the youths for whom the boat is intended to do he less difficult work of fitting and assembling of the parts as an educational pastime.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat hull, with a portion of the skin broken away, constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section thereof taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the hull with the deck omitted. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of the backbone forming part of my invention.

is preferably Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The backbone of the boat hull as a whole curved or bow-shaped with its concave side facing upwardly and comprises a central keel 1, a stem post 2 projecting upwardly and forwardly from the front end of the keel, and a stern post 3 projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the rear end of the keel. These members of the backbone are constructed integrally from a piece of wood which is preferably bent approXimately into bow-shape and thereafter finished so far as its ultimate contour is concerned by means of machine and hand work. In cross section this backbone is symmetrical in form and enlarges from its lower edge or underside 4 upwardly toward the upper side 5 thereof. The upper and lower sides of the keel portion of the backbone are arranged concentrically, the upper and lower surfaces 6, 7 of the stem post diverge forwardly so that this part of the backbone enlarges forwardly and the upper and lower surfaces 8, 9 of the stern post also diverge rearwardly so that this post is of rearwardly enlarging form. On its opposite lateral sides the backbone is provided with longitudinal rabbets each of which has its central part 10 corresponding to the keel formed concentrically with the upper and lower surfaces of the keel while its front portion 11 and its rear portion 12 which are arrangec on the stem and stern posts respectively and each turns upwardly on a curve of a shorter radius than the curvature of the central part of this rabbet. By this construction the finishing or cutting of the upper and lower surfaces of the keel and the corresponding parts of the two rabbets on opposite lateral sides thereof may be effected in a machine at low cost by mounting the backbone on a swinging support which turns concentri cally with reference to the cutting tools which produce the upper and lower surfaces and the rabbet portions on the keel, while the comparatively short upper and lower surfaces and the corresponding rabbet portions of the stem and stern posts which are not concentric with the upper and lower surfaces and the rabbet portion of the keel may be effected by separate machine or hand operations, whereby the backbone as a whole may be produced at comparatively low cost.

On its upper side he keel of the backbone is provided with a plurality of transverse grooves which are arranged in a longitudinal row 13 the upright walls of which are arranged vertically, and the several grooves parallel relatively to each other.

A plurality of transverse ribs 1% are provided and arranged in a longitudinal row along the upper side of the keel, each of these ribs being constructed of a plate of wood which has a thickness equal to the width of one of the transverse grooves in the keel in which the lower edge portion of the respective rib is seated. The several ribs are of progressively less height from amidship to the stem and stern posts and the same extend upwardly to the deck line of the hull which is preferably dished downward slightly between the upper and lower ends of the stem and stern posts. The several ribs are also of varying lengths transmay be cut diametrically into two parts each of which forms. one. of the ribs; for a particular part of the hull. By this means these ribs can be produced very economically in large quantities by machinery and also insures a uniformity in the construction of the hulls when the parts of the same are made in large quantities. Each rib may be secured with the central part of its lower edge. 15 in, the respective groove of the keel in any suitable manner, for instance by means of glue or a nail, so that the straight upper edge 16 of the rib is horizontal.

In orderto center the several ribs in their proper position relatively to each other and to the keel lengthwise of the hull a longitudinal retaining bar 17 is provided which is preferably of semi-cylindrical form in cross section and seated intermediate of its ends with its curved or rounded underside in semicircular notches 18 formed centrally in the upper horizontal edge of each rib while its front and rear ends are seated in correspondingly-shaped recesses 19, :21 formed in the inner'portions of the stem and stern posts so that the upper flat side of this retaining bar is flush with the upper edges of the ribs and the upper sides of the stem and stern posts, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The retaining bar is constructed by cutting a cylindrical wooden rod into two semi-cylindrical parts and utilizing each of these parts as the retaining bar for one of thesehulls, thereby enabling these bars to be produced at low cost and without any waste in material. The semi-circular notch is arranged concentrically in the upper edge of each rib which notch has been previously formed by boring a wooden plate so that it may be mounted on a mandrel preparatory to cutting it into circular form and then dividing the same diametrically into two sections each of which forms one of the ribs. In this manner the notch of each rib and its curved under and lateral sides are always arranged concentrically relatively to each other, whereby the notch which is formed therein for convenience in turning this rib is utilized in connectionv with the retaining bar for centering the rib relatively to the keel without involving any added cost.

20 represents the skin or planking of the hullv which is preferably constructed from a plurality of thin strips of wood applied lengthwise one above the other on opposite sides of the backbone and then upwardly along opposite under and side e lges of the ribs to the deck line. These strips are fitted into the rabbets of the backbone and the adjacent curved edge portions of the ribs andv bent inwardly from a point amidship toward the bow and stern portions of the hull so .as to give the skinthe desired curvature. In order to enable the skin to engage fully with the ribs the side and lower edge portions of these ribs which are engaged by the skin arebeveled in accordance with the particular angle of the skin relatively to the length of the ribs. As will be seen in Fig. 4 the skin engages with the rib amidship sub.- stantially square or at right angles thereto while the side edges of theremaining ribs which are progressively shortertoward the stem and stern posts are beveled at a correspondingly greater angle,.thereb.y insuring full engagement of these edge portions of the ribs with the skin and producing a firm structure. The beveling of the ribs is preferably effected in a lathe or turning machine which permits a plurality of the ribs to be beveled while the same are still assembled in the lathe and after the same have been cut into the shape of disks, thereby enabling this work to be done uniformly and expeditiously and at low cost. The strips, forming this skin may be secured to the rib and the backbone and to each other by any suitable means but it is preferable to secure the strips to the backbone and the ribs by means of small nails and connect the strips with each other by means of glue which will produce a water tight joint there between.

Over the top edges of the ribs and the upper ends of the stem and stern posts is secured a deck or covering 22 which may be constructedv of thin wood, veneer r'other suitable material and secured to the stem and stern posts, the upper edges of the ribs and the upper edges of the skin in anysuitable manner.

To the underside of the rear portion of the keel is secured a keelextension 28 which is preferably provided with a curved upper side 26% to fit the respective under surface of the rear part of the keel, a straight lower face 25 which is arranged tangentially relatively to the curved front lower face of the keel, and an inclined rear end 26. which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the lower straight side of the keel extension to the rear end of the keel proper, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This keel extension may be secured to the keel proper in any suitable manner but preferably by means of screws 27, as shown in Fig. 8.

28 represents a fin, stabilizing board or center board which engages the front part of its upper side with the central part oft-he underside of the keel while the rear part of the upper side of this fin engages with the straight underside of the keel extension. .AltllOLlgll this fin issecured to the keel and keel extension by means of screws 29, as

of a pin 31'projecting from the upper end of the rudder into a bearing opening formed in the stern post, and a pivot screw 32 extending upwardly through a lug 33 on the rear end of the fin and entering the lower end of the rudder.

All of the foregoing parts are intended to be put on the market in knock down form ready for children who are expected to complete the erection of the hull and thus furnish an instructive pastime in the making of a toy which is not only of educational value but will also sail properly when launched in water.

It is to be understood that such other accessories will be added to the hull for completing the boat, such for instance as a mast which is adapted to be inserted in a step socket 34L arranged in the upper surface of the keel, and an opening 35 extending through the retaining bar and deck for the purpose of carrying the sails and the parts associated therewith.

I claim as my invention:

1. A boat hull comprising a keel having parts of its. under and upper sides curved concentrically, ribs mounted on said keel and a skin applied to said keel and ribs.

2. A boat hull comprising a keel having curved upper and undersides and rabbets on opposite lateral sides all of which are partly concentric, ribs mounted on the keel, and a skin applied to said keel and ribs and fitted in said rabbets.

3. A boat hull comprising a backbone having a keel, a stem post at the front end of the keel and a stern post at the rear end of the keel, said keel having curved rabbets on its laterally opposite sides and curved upper and lower sides all of which are concentric except at the extremities thereof and said stern and stem posts having their upper and lower sides diverging outwardly and provided on laterally opposite sides with rabbets which are curved on a shorter radius than the upper and lower sides and rabbets of the keel, ribs mounted on said keel, and a skin applied to said backbone and ribs and fitted in said rabbets.

4. A boat hull comprising a backbone provided in its upper side with a plurality of transverse grooves which are arranged in a longitudinal row, a plurality of transverse ribs arranged in a longitudinal row and each of said ribs having the form of a plate which engages its lower edge in one of said grooves and has its lower and lateral edge portions curved concentrically, and a skin applied to the backbone and the lower and lateral edge portions of said ribs.

5. A boat hull comprising a backbone provided in its upper side with a plurality of transverse grooves which are arranged in a five cents each,

longitudinal ribs arranged in a longitudinal row and each of said ribs having the form of a plate which engages its lower edge in one of said grooves and has its lower and lateral edge portions curved concentrically and a horizontal upper edge, a skin applied to the backbone and the lower and lateral edge portions of said ribs, and a deck applied to the upper edges of said ribs.

6. A boat hull comprising a backbone, a plurality of ribs mounted on said backbone, a retaining bar mounted lengthwise on the upper edges of said ribs and opposite ends of said backbone, and a skin applied to said backbone and ribs.

7. A boat hull comprising a backbone, a plurality of ribs mounted on said backbone, a retaining bar mounted lengthwise on the upper edges of said ribs and opposite ends of said backbone, a skin applied to said back bone and ribs and a deck applied to said ribs, retaining bar and backbone.

8. A boat hull comprising a backbone provided in its upper side with a plurality of transverse grooves which are arranged in a longitudinal row, a plurality of transverse ribs arranged in a longitudinal row and each of said ribs having the form of a semi-circular plate which engages the central part of its periphery with one of said grooves and its upper horizontal edge provided centrally with a notch which is curved concentrically relatively to the periphery of the rib, a longitudinal retaining bar which is semi-cylindrical in cross section and mounted with its curved surface in the notches in said ribs, a skin applied to the backbone and the lower and lateral sides of said ribs, and a deck applied to the upper sides of said ribs, retaining bar and ends of said backbone.

9. A boat hull comprising a backbone provided with a keel, stem and stern posts at opposite ends of the keel and recesses on the upper ends of said posts, ribs arranged transversely on said keel and each provided in its upper edge with a notch, a longitudinal retaining bar arranged in said recesses and notches, a skin applied to said backbone and ribs, and a deck applied to said ribs, posts and bar.

10. A boat hull comprising a downwardly curved backbone, a plurality of plate-shaped ribs arranged vertically and transversely in a longitudinal row on said backbone and said ribs being of progressively lesser height and width from ainidship to the bow and stern and each rib having its under and lateral edges beveled to correspond to its location on the backbone, and a skin applied to the backbone and ribs.

URQUHART WILCOX.

by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 6.

row, a plurality of transversea plurality of 

